Spring-hinge



(Model.)

D. C. STOVER.

SPRING HINGE.

N. PETERS, Prwwmhngnpmr. wnningum. D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.,

DANIEL O. STOVER, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS.

SPRING-HINGE.

@PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,096, dated October 16,1888.

Application filed February 13, 1888. Serial No. 263,819. (Model.)

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL O. STOVER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Freeport and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu Spring-Hinges, of which the following is a specilication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a face view,and Fig. 2 a rear view,ofa spring-hinge containing myimprovements. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line l l, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side view of the springhinge in the position in which the spring is inserted. (Shown further in cross-section in Fig. 5, taken on the line 22, Fig. 4.) Fig. 6 is a rear view of the hinge in aposition intermediate between those shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and Fig. 7 is a detail cross-section showing the attachment of the spring to the hinge.

The first part of my invention relates to an improvement in the construct-ion of springhinges,whereby the leaves are held together by the axial tension of a coiled spring.

In the form of my invention illustrated in the drawings, A A are the two leaves of the hinge, each leaf being provided with two ears, a a', one ofthe ears, as a, being provided with apin or hook, a2, and the other,a,with a corresponding eyehole, a3, as shown in Fig. 7. The two leaves are united by bringing the ears a a together and inserting the pin upon one ear into the corresponding eye-hole in the other. The leaves are then retained in this position or held together by the insertion of the coiled spring B,whose tension in an axial direction presses at one end against the ear a upon the other leaf, thus binding the leaves firmly together in a single structure.

In the form illustrated in the drawings,one end, b, of the coiled spring B is extended and rests in a notch in the leaf A, and the other end, b, rests in a corresponding notch in the other leaf, so that the radial tension of the spring retains the leaves in the normal position, except when one of them is turned under by the application of a force greater than the tension of the spring.

In the manufacture of spring-hinges the spring must be so inserted that when the leaves are in a normal position-that is, substantially in the same plane-the spring will be under considerable tension, so that when applied to a door it will hold it closed. In the forms of spring-hinges heretofore known such insertion of the spring has been attended with considerable difficulty.

If the leaves are so made and united that they can normally fold backward into the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 the spring can then be inserted without difticulty and under but slight tension, or even without tension, sufficient tension being produced when the leaves are turned forward into the same plane. In such case, however, the normalinfolding of the leaves in the position shown in Fig. 5 unfits the hinge for ready application to a door and makes it unacceptable to the public. If, on the other hand,the hinge is so constructed that the leaves cannot fold backward beyond the position shown in Fig. 3 it can be readily attached to any door; but the insertion of the spring under its required tension is in this position a matter of considerable difficulty. By the adoption of a very simple device in a further improvement I am enabled to combine the advantages of both the above methods without the disadvantage of either. The principle of the operation of this portion of my invention consists in uniting the two leaves ot' the hinge in such a manner that they can fold backward into a position like that shown in Fig. 5, when the spring can be inserted without difficulty, and so that when the leaves are turned forward into the same plane, as shown in Fig. 3, the leaves will be automatically locked against any backward movement or return toward the position shown in Fig. 5,when the hinge can be easily applied to the door. This is accomplished by providing the ears a or a with stops or small projections a4, (see Figs. 6 and 7,) which engage with cor responding stops or notches upon the opposite leaf when the spring is in the position shown in Fig. 3, and prevent any further backward movement of the leaves. These stops thus en gage with each other when the ears a and a are in close contact; but they are held in con tact bythe axial tension of the yielding spring B. The spring therefore can be inserted when the leaves are united in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. One of the leaves can then be readily given a slight endwise thrust, compressing axially the spring B and slightly separating the ears a and a', so that the stops or I OC- notches a* upon the two leaves can pass each other, and the leaves are then brought into the position shown in Figs. l, 2, and 8. Upon relievig the endwise thrust upon the leaves A A the tension of the spring B closes them together, bringing the ears a ainto close contact and interlocking the stops or notches t4 and preventing any further backward movement of the leaves unless an end-thrust is again applied to them..

It is obviously immaterial whether the ears a a are held apart in passing from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig.V 3 by an endwise thrust upon one of the leaves or by the thickness of the stops, the essential thing being the mutual engagement of the stops in the position shown in Fig. 3.

A still further improvement is made by providing one of the ears a awith an inclined plane or cam, ai", leading up to the stop i2-and along which the corresponding stop uponthe opposite leaf rides when the'leaves are turned fromthe position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In Fig. 6 the positionof the stop upon the incline or cam a5 is shown just before the leaves are brought to the position shown in Fig. 3. By this arrangement the mere turning of the leaves forward from the position shown in Fig. 5 separates the ears a a', as shown in Fig. 6, and brings the stops into engagement in thel position shown in Figs. 1', 2, and 3; By the use ot' this additional feature of improvement the spring can be inserted without material increase in its normal axial tension, and the leaves., can also then be turned forward to their normal position Without the application of an endwise thrust upon one of them, which` are material advantages in the manufacture and also in the use of the hinges when for any reason the leaves are detached from eachother and again put together.

The several parts of my inventionmay be used separately or together, as preferred. Combined they make a structure of great simplicity, durability, cheapness of construction, and practical utility.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a spring hinge,the combination of the two leaves and their ears, provided, respectivel'y,with pins and corresponding eye-holes, and united by the insertion of the pins Within the adjacent eye-holes by an end-thrust of one of the leaves,with a coiled spring pressing one end against an inner ear upon one leafand the other end against the inner ear of the opposite leaf, said leaves being provided with stops which engage When the leaves are in substant-ially the saine plane, but disengage when an end-thrust is given to one of the leaves, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

-2. In a spring-hinge,the combination of the two leaves and their ears, provided, respectively,with pins and corresponding eye-holes, and united by the insertion of the pins Within the adjacent eye-holes by an end-thrust ofone of the leaves, witha coiled spring pressing one end against an inner ear upon one leaf and the other end against the inner ear of the opposite leaf, whereby they are held together by the axial tension of the coiled spring, sub stantially as described.

3. In a spring-hinge, the combination ofthe leaves A A, provided with the ears a a', the spring B, stops a,and inclines or cams a5, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

DANIEL C. STOVER.

Witnesses;

HARRY BrrNER, J AMES H. STEARNs. 

